Size Matters: Predicting Surgical Site Infection After Whole Breast Radiotherapy in the Era of Hypofractionation.

: Few studies have analyzed surgical site infections associated with hypofractionated RT. The purpose of this study was to identify risk factors for surgical site infections with a particular focus on volumetric parameters that reflect the size of the volumes treated, including tumors, surgical cavities, and breasts. : A total of 145 early breast cancer patients who were surgically staged 0-II undergoing hypofractionated RT on the whole breast were retrospectively reviewed.

Evaluation of Risk Factors Associated with the Occurrence and Recurrence of Benign Paroxysmal Positional Vertigo in Koreans: A Nested Case-Control Study.

Objectives: Benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) is the most prevalent cause of vertigo. This study analyzes the risk factors involved in the occurrence and recurrence of BPPV.

Methods: A database maintained by the Korean National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) was used to enroll 434,552 patients diagnosed with BPPV from 2011 to 2017.

Autophagy activation in response to cigarette smoke: Exploring the disparity in laryngeal cancer incidence and outcomes between sexes in South Korea.

Introduction: Laryngeal cancer (LC) presents a significant health challenge globally, with smoking being a major risk factor. Interestingly, LC incidence in females is significantly lower than in males; however, female smokers are more likely to develop Reinke edema (RE) than LC. This study sought to investigate whether autophagy, a major mechanism for RE development, acts as a defense mechanism in laryngeal tissue against cigarette exposure and suppresses LC development in females who smoke.

Nationwide study of chronic codeine use and its impact on cough related diseases in South Korea.

Codeine is widely used to control coughs, although concerns about its overuse arise due to its side-effects. This study aimed to evaluate the status of codeine usage according to various medical conditions. The Korean National Health Insurance Service sample cohort was analyzed.

Occupational Risk Factors for Skin Cancer: A Comprehensive Review.

Public health and clinical medicine should identify and characterize modifiable risk factors for skin cancer in order to facilitate primary prevention. In existing literature, the impact of occupational exposure on skin cancer, including malignant melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancers, has been extensively studied. This review summarizes the available epidemiological evidence on the significance of occupational risk factors and occupations associated with a higher risk in skin cancer.

New lessons from biology for economics and business: a systems approach to non-market environments.

Drawing on recent advances in biology, this paper describes a systems approach, 'Systems Public Affairs' (SPA), to integrate non-market strategies in corporate purposes and strategies. Just as the environment of organisms affects and is affected by their development and evolution, so individuals and businesses adjust to and can shape their non-market environment, which we define as 'a historically formed national and social sphere, including laws, regulations, and policies, which supports, maintains and restrains the operation and preservation of markets'. The paper uses cases from South Korea to illustrate this approach.

Single-cell transcriptomic analysis reveals dynamic activation of cellular signaling pathways regulating beige adipogenesis.

PDGFRA+ cells have been identified as adipocyte stem cells (ASCs) that differentiate into beige adipocytes in white adipose tissue (WAT) following thermogenic stimuli. To elucidate the molecular heterogeneity of ASCs, we conducted single-cell transcriptomic profiling of PDGFRA+ cells isolated from the inguinal WAT (iWAT) of mice treated with the beta3 adrenergic receptor agonist CL316243. Single-cell RNA-seq revealed nine major clusters, which were categorized into four groups: resting, proliferating, differentiating, and adipogenic factor-expressing cells (AFECs).

Excess volume measurements of binary alloy liquids using electrostatic levitation: Magneto-volume effect on positive excess volume.

In this study, we investigate the excess volume (VE) of 24 binary miscible and compound alloy melts using electrostatic levitation. Notably, Pd50X50 (X = Fe, Co, and Ni) and Pt50Fe50 solid solutions with slightly negative or zero mixing enthalpy (ΔHmix) display pronounced positive VE and significantly improved liquid stability after alloying, whereas compound alloy liquids with negative ΔHmix exhibit negative VE. Moreover, the VE of Pd50X50 and Pt50X50 consistently decreases with the increasing number of electrons in X, indicating a magneto-volume effect observed in specific heat measurements.

miR-10a regulates cell death and inflammation in adipose tissue of male mice with diet-induced obesity.

Objective: Adipose tissue remodeling plays a critical role in obesity-induced metabolic dysfunction, but the underlying molecular mechanisms remain incompletely understood. This study investigates the role of miR-10a-5p in adipose tissue inflammation and metabolic dysfunction induced by a high-fat diet (HFD).

Methods: Male miR-10a knockout (KO) mice were fed a HFD to induce obesity for up to 16 weeks.

Incidence of Tuberculosis Among Immigrants in Korea Who Participated in a Latent Tuberculosis Infection Screening Program.

Background: With a rapid decrease in tuberculosis (TB) incidence, the significance of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) has been underscored in South Korea. Although South Korea does not have a high proportion of immigrants compared to other countries, there is a growing argument that it should actively embrace immigrants as a solution to address issues of low birth rates and population aging. This study aimed to assess TB incidence among immigrants who participated a pilot LTBI screening program in South Korea.

Effect of barium silicate on mechanical properties, transmittance, and protein adsorption of resin for additive manufacturing containing zwitterionic polymer.

Statement Of Problem: Studies on the effect of barium silicate on the material properties of additively manufactured (AM) resins containing 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) for dental applications are lacking.

Purpose: The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the mechanical properties, transmittance, and protein adsorption of MPC-containing AM resin incorporated with different barium silicate contents and to compare these findings with those of a commercially available unfilled AM resin marketed for definitive restorations.

Material And Methods: Resins incorporating 6 wt% MPC and 4 different concentrations of barium silicate (10 wt%, MB10; 20 wt%, MB20; 30 wt%, MB30; and 40 wt%, MB40) were prepared.

Mechanical properties, cytotoxicity, and protein adsorption of three-dimensionally printable hybrid resin containing zwitterionic polymer and silicate-based composites for dental restorations.

Objective: To evaluate the mechanical and biological properties of three-dimensionally (3D) printable resins filled with 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine (MPC) and silicate-based composites and compare with those of a commercially available 3D-printable resin for definitive restorations.

Methods: A group of 3D-printable hybrid resins (HRs) filled with 6 wt% MPC and three different compositions of silicate-based composites (barium silicate to zirconium silicate ratios: 1.50:1 for HR1, 0.

Impact of molecular symmetry on crystallization pathways in highly supersaturated KHPO solutions.

Solute structure and its evolution in supersaturated aqueous solutions are key clues to understand Ostwald's step rule. Here, we measure the structural evolution of solute molecules in highly supersaturated solutions of KHPO (KDP) and NHHPO (ADP) using a combination of electrostatic levitation and synchrotron X-ray scattering. The measurement reveals the existence of a solution-solution transition in KDP solution, caused by changing molecular symmetries and structural evolution of the solution with supersaturation.

The Mst1/2-BNIP3 axis is required for mitophagy induction and neuronal viability under mitochondrial stress.

Mitophagy induction upon mitochondrial stress is critical for maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis and cellular function. Here, we found that Mst1/2 (Stk3/4), key regulators of the Hippo pathway, are required for the induction of mitophagy under various mitochondrial stress conditions. Knockdown of Mst1/2 or pharmacological inhibition by XMU-MP-1 treatment led to impaired mitophagy induction upon CCCP and DFP treatment.

Role of autophagy in betaine-promoted hepatoprotection against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in mice.

Betaine, a compound found in plants and sea foods, is known to be beneficial against non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), but its hepatoprotective and anti-steatogenic mechanisms have been not fully understood. In the present study, we investigated the mechanisms underlying betaine-mediated alleviation of NAFLD induced by a choline-deficient, L-amino acid-defined, high-fat diet (CDAHFD) in mice, with special focus on the contribution of betaine-stimulated autophagy to NAFLD prevention. Male ICR mice were fed a CDAHFD with or without betaine (0.

Longitudinal Transcription Profiling of Bladder Cancers Dictate the Response to BCG Treatment and Disease Progression.

Although the intravesical instillation of Bacillus Calmette-Guerin (BCG) is widely used as adjuvant treatment for nonmuscle-invasive bladder cancers, the clinical benefit is variable across patients, and the molecular mechanisms underlying the sensitivity to BCG administration and disease progression are poorly understood. To establish the molecular signatures that predict the responsiveness and disease progression of bladder cancers treated with BCG, we performed transcriptome sequencing (RNA-seq) for 13 treatment-naïve and 22 post-treatment specimens obtained from 14 bladder cancer patients. To overcome disease heterogeneity, we used non-negative matrix factorization to identify the latent molecular features associated with drug responsiveness and disease progression.

Sudden Sensorineural Hearing Loss and Facial Palsy in Patients with Vestibular Schwannoma Based on the Population Data of Korea.

Background: The prevalence of sudden sensorineural hearing loss and facial palsy in patients with vestibular schwannoma and the association of sudden sensorineural hearing loss or facial palsy with vestibular schwannoma were investigated based on the population data of Korea.

Methods: This retrospective study used the Korean National Health Insurance Service data. Patients with vestibular schwannoma and those with a previous history of sudden sensorineural hearing loss or facial palsy were identified based on diagnostic, medication, magnetic resonance imaging, or audiometric codes from 2005 to 2020.

Simultaneous measurements of volume, pressure, optical images, and crystal structure with a dynamic diamond anvil cell: A real-time event monitoring system.

The dynamic diamond anvil cell (dDAC) technique has attracted great interest because it possibly provides a bridge between static and dynamic compression studies with fast, repeatable, and controllable compression rates. The dDAC can be a particularly useful tool to study the pathways and kinetics of phase transitions under dynamic pressurization if simultaneous measurements of physical quantities are possible as a function of time. We here report the development of a real-time event monitoring (RTEM) system with dDAC, which can simultaneously record the volume, pressure, optical image, and structure of materials during dynamic compression runs.

Effect of exposure energy dose on lateral resolution and flexural strength of three-dimensionally printed dental zirconia.

Purpose: This study aims to evaluate the effects of exposure energy on the lateral resolution and mechanical strength of dental zirconia manufactured using digital light processing (DLP).

Materials And Methods: A zirconia suspension and a custom top-down DLP printer were used for in-office manufacturing. The viscosity of the suspension and uniformity of the exposed light intensity were controlled.

A Combination of Soy Isoflavone and L-Carnitine Improves Running Endurance in Mice.

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of APIC, a mixture containing soy isoflavone and L-carnitine on running endurance. Male C57BL/6 mice were orally administered APIC for 8 weeks. The APIC group exhibited a significant increase in treadmill running time until exhaustion compared to the control group.